Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 May 2025
926. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a comprehensive list of all non-governmental organisations operating within the State under the aegis of his Department, focusing particularly on those that may overlap in their missions and areas of operation (details supplied). [23808/25]
View answer927. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for each non-governmental organisation under the aegis of his Department, to provide a detailed breakdown of its core activities, geographical areas of operation, target demographics, and the specific services or programs they provide (details supplied). [23826/25]
View answer928. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to specify the total amount of funding allocated to each of the identified non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under his Department's aegis over the past five years, broken down by State funding directly administered through central government agencies, departments, or any other public bodies; grants provided by local authorities or regional entities; additional financial support from public sources, including any specific allocations through schemes designed to support NGOs, charities, and community organisations, any external or private funding that NGOs may have received, specifically indicating where state funding is used to leverage additional private or philanthropic donations. [23844/25]
View answer929. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a breakdown of the number of non-governmental organisations under his Department’s aegis that charge fees for their services, including membership fees, participation fees, or any other forms of charge to the public; to specify which of these organisations charge fees while also receiving public funding, and how this practice is monitored to ensure that taxpayer money is not indirectly supporting fee-based services. [23862/25]
View answer933. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the total administrative costs associated with non-governmental organisations under the aegis of his Department, including the overhead costs related to compliance, reporting, and auditing requirements; and to compare these costs to the overall financial aid allocated to the organisations, identifying whether the administrative expenses are in proportion to the benefits delivered to the public. [23935/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 926 to 929, inclusive, and 933 together.
Non-Governmental Organisations do not operate under the aegis of my Department.
However, my Department provides funding to a number of Non-Governmental Bodies which support the State’s objectives and provide services to sectors relevant to my Department ‘s area of operation.
For example, my Department invites applications from animal welfare charities for annual funding. Last year, some €5,993,558.00 was provided to such bodies on the basis of the submissions made. This expenditure is subject to terms and conditions laid down in service level agreements with these bodies. In general, these bodies also require donations from members of the public to operate effectively. A list of successful applicants in 2024 is set out at the link below.
My Department also provides funding to a range of non-statutory bodies providing public services on a national basis. These are:
• Animal Health Ireland (AHI), is a company limited by guarantee, established to support more sustainable farming through improved animal health and welfare. AHI is supported by contributions from a range of agri-food stakeholders. My Department provided €836,824.92 in 2024 in direct funding. In addition, AHI administers the Rural Development Programme funded Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH programmes) on behalf of my Department for which a service fee is charged in accordance with public procurement procedures. This fee is not included in the figure of €836,824.92.
• Horse Sport Ireland is a company limited by guarantee, established to encourage the development of the Sport Horse Industry in Ireland. My Department provided €2,229,749 in funding to support breeding programmes in 2024. The company also receives fees for services provided to the Sport Horse Sector.
• The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) is a co-operative established to support the improvement of breeding in the livestock sector. Its shareholders include farmer, industry and breed association representatives. My department provided €7,509,239 in funding to this organisation in 2024. Funding is also provided to ICBF by other stakeholders.
